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WWE SmackDown kicked off with a recap of The Bloodline from last week, and we saw them walking into the arena tonight. They were all enjoying themselves except for Roman Reigns, who ignored a fistbump from Sami Zayn and gave him an angry stare.
WWE SmackDown Results (January 20, 2023): Drew McIntyre & Sheamus vs. The Viking Raiders
Sheamus was in control early on after the Vikings took out Drew. Sheamus hit the Beats of Bodhran before Ivar took him out. Drew was tagged back in and got some big suplexes and a Michinoku Driver for a near fall.
Sheamus got the White Noise on Erik before getting a suplex on Ivar. Drew got the Future Shock DDT before Sheamus picked up the win off the Brogue Kick on Ivar.
Result: Drew McIntyre & Sheamus def. The Viking Raiders
Grade: B
Backstage on SmackDown, Sami Zayn asked Roman what was up, and the latter confronted him about the way he looked last week when the Usos came out during his match. Sami said that he was shocked when they showed up and felt betrayed because he was supposed to take KO out himself.
Reigns kicked him out of the locker room after telling him that he didn't feel the need to run everything by The Honorary Uce.
LA Knight was out next and said that he was going to turn Bray Wyatt's lights off at the Royal Rumble before heading for the following match.
Greg Jones vs. LA Knight on SmackDown
Knight was in control early on, and Wyatt seemed to mess with the lights, and the Titantron and Jones managed to get some big moves in off the distraction. LA got a big lariat and a Snapmare Driver before getting the easy win.
Result: LA Knight def. Greg Jones
Grade: C
We heard the Firefly Funhouse intro after the match, and saw the characters from the show up one by one before Bray Wyatt was seen. He said that he couldn't wait to have fun with his friends once again, and Ramblin Rabbit compared Wyatt to The Miz.
They talked about being scared of the dark before Uncle Howdy showed up and said that they needed a little push. Wyatt said that once he opens the doors, whatever comes out was his problem before telling Knight he'd see him at the Rumble.
Hit Row vs. Los Lotharios on SmackDown
Carrillo and Adonis kicked off the match, and tags were made right off the bat. Ashante came back in and hit a 540 roundhouse kick on Carrillo before dodging a lariat.
Lotharios got dropkicks followed by tandem dives before a distraction from B-Fab allowed Ashante to get the schoolboy pin on Humberto for the win.
Result: Hit Row def. Los Lotharios
Grade: C
Charlotte was out next and called out Sonya Deville. Flair praised Sonya and called her a star before calling her arrogant and entitled. She asked Sonya to go to the Rumble if she wanted a title shot.
Sonya wanted a title match right then and there but then attacked Flair and took her down before heading off.
Roman Reigns was backstage, and Paul Heyman told him that he never liked Sami Zayn. However, he said that it would be better to have him on his side for now as we head for the KO match at the Rumble.
Brawling Brutes vs. Imperium on SmackDown
Vinci and Holland kicked off the match, and Imperium were in control early on. After a break on SmackDown, both Imperium members were dropped before Butch hit a big dive.
Imperium sent Ridge into the steel steps outside before Kaiser got a big boot. Vinci hit a brainbuster before getting the Imperium bomb on Ridge and picking up the win.
Result: Imperium def. Brawling Brutes
Grade: C
Shayna Baszler was backstage and said that she was going to win the Royal Rumble by breaking a bunch of arms.
Karrion Kross and Scarlett were in a little vignette and said that Rey Mysterio's time was coming to an end next week.
Maximum Male Models vs. Legado del Fantasma on SmackDown
Wilde and Mansoor kicked off the match, and Wilde was sent outside early on before Mansoor hit a big dive. Del Toro tried to interfere, but Mace and Mansoor sent him outside as well but posed instead of hitting the dive.
Mace came in with a big kick but was sent into the corner when he took down his own tag partner by accident. Mansoor went down, and the Legado hit him with an enzugiri/side Russian leg sweep combo for the win.
Result: Legado del Fantasma def. Maximum Male Models
Grade: C
Backstage, Roman Reigns said that he was angry earlier and told Sami that he was a perfectionist, just like him. Roman kind of apologized and said that he wanted to get the night over with and head home with his crew.
Roman and The Bloodline were out next for the contract signing, but Kevin Owens attacked them and hit a stunner on Reigns. KO took the Usos and Solo Sikoa out with superkicks at ringside before hitting Reigns with a powerbomb through the table in the ring.
Owens then took the contract from Paul Heyman and signed it before Sami Zayn showed up on the apron. KO fled into the crowd as the Usos and Solo got Roman back up, and SmackDown went off the air.
Episode rating: B
We got the first round of the tag team tournament tonight on SmackDown while Roman Reigns was attacked by Kevin Owens in the closing moments of the show!
